Media Release: UN population projections a call to action

Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) is calling on the Australian government to wake up from its slumber following the release of the latest UN population projections on July 29.

SPA President, Sandra Kanck, says the UN has had to yet again increase its estimates for world population following a lack of action by those with the resources to address the problem.

‘The medium estimates are now 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100, which would be a disaster,’ Ms Kanck said.

‘Such horrendous numbers would not be inevitable if the developed world stopped pussy-footing around and gave the developing world (where most of the increase will happen) the help in family planning and education it desperately wants and needs.

‘The Coalition government should hang its head in shame at its cuts to foreign aid, which it should be increasing. Overpopulation abroad is affecting affluent countries now with the recent increase in refugees, and we can only expect a tsunami of refugees in the future if we don’t do something urgently about population numbers.’

The UN low-variant projection was 7.29 billion by 2100, showing that a total disaster was not inevitable if the right policies were put in place, Ms Kanck said.

‘Australian governments have been in a lather over boat people for years, but the numbers we have seen so far are absolutely trivial compared to the climate-change and other refugees that are sure to arrive if total numbers are not kept in check by well-understood humanitarian means that are not particularly expensive.’

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Media contact: Sandra Kanck, Ph. 0417 882 143

About Sustainable Population Australia: SPA is an independent not-for-profit organisation formed in 1988 to promote an understanding of the effects of human population numbers on the biosphere and society.